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(adds background, byline) By Kenny MacDonald GLASGOW, March 10 - Debt-ridden Scottish Premier
League (SPL) club Gretna confirmed on Monday they were going
into administration, a move that will trigger a deduction of 10
points. "(Owner Brooks Mileson's) financing has enabled the club to
achieve unprecedented success in Scottish football," said a
statement on the club's Web site (www.gretnafootballclub.co.uk).
"However, due to ill health, he is currently not in a position
to facilitate further funding. "Following a board meeting on Friday the directors passed a
resolution to place the club into administration and a `formal
notice of intention' was filed in the Court of Session in
Edinburgh this morning. We anticipate administrators will be
appointed in the next few days." The SPL said the points would be deducted when the
adminstrators were appointed. "If an SPL club is the subject of an insolvency event, a
10-point deduction would apply immediately," a spokesman told
the SPL's Web site (www.scotprem.co.uk). "The club would also be
embargoed from signing any new players. "The notice of intention to appoint an administrator alone
does not trigger the sporting sanctions, it is the actual
appointment of an administrator which does. "If an administrator is indeed appointed we will seek an
early meeting with him or her to discuss the plans for Gretna FC
going forward and how we can best support these." FAIRYTALE STORY Gretna, situated on the English-Scottish border, have risen
through the Scottish league system in the last six years and
reached the Scottish Cup final in 2006 before losing to Hearts
on penalties. The tiny Scottish town, with a population of around 3,000,
was more famous for runaway weddings owing to its perimeter
location and Scotland's more liberal marriage laws. That changed in 2002 when they were admitted to the league
and began an incredible run of promotions three years later to
become the first British club to win three titles in a row. On the way to the top flight, they set records for fastest
fourth and third division promotions, highest points and goals
scored in the fourth tier, while qualified doctor Kenny Deuchar
set a new individual scoring record, with 41 goals in 2004-05. The club also qualified for the UEFA Cup following their
Scottish Cup final defeat, losing to Irish side Derry City in
the second qualifying round. They gained promotion to the SPL last season. They are
currently bottom, 11 points adrift, and have debts of around
four million pounds ($8.08 million). (Additional reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha
Sarkar, Trevor Huggins and Padraic Halpin)
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